Shadow of the Hazy Moon
by Warm-Ice
Summary: Why can't the Clamp School Detectives catch this thief? Not a trace, not a clue. All Nokoru could see were the eyes of the shadow of the hazy moon.
1. The Pearl of the Night

**Shadow of the Hazy Moon**

By Warm-Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the OCs.

Summary: Why can't the Clamp School Detectives catch this thief? Not a trace, not a clue. All Nokoru could see were the eyes of the shadow of the hazy moon.

Chapter 1: The Pearl of the Night

**RIIIIIIIIINNNNGGGG!**

They looked up, alerted from their companionable silence as the Security Alarms went off everywhere in the rather large museum.

"Suoh! Akira!" Nokoru called. "Spread out and find the thief!"

"Roger!" the two said, running off in opposite directions. Nokoru went through the West wing, looking around for anything out of place or amiss. Recently there had been a series of burglaries that had invaded the school. Not a single trace was left and the stolen artifacts seemed absolutely random.

The thief had already stolen quite a few items –all quite valuable and rare- from different branches of the school and it had caused quite an up roar. Complaints had been piling up and the demand for the Clamp School Detectives to be on the case was understandable.

For a while now, the detectives had tracked down this felon but he always seemed to elude them. It was always like they were thrown into the wrong track. When they thought he would be here, he was actually there. And before they knew it, it had been far too late for them to catch him.

As expected, Nokoru became excited by this new challenge and swore to pursue this criminal that cannot be caught. And soon they had come to the conclusion that the thief's next target would be in the museum since that –with the exemption of the Scientific Research building- was the only place left that he had not stolen from.

Nokoru smirked to himself, feeling a bit triumphant. This time, he was on the right track.

He turned a corner and kept up his pace until he saw a shadow cast upon his own. He swiftly turned around and his eyes widened. There, on the sill of the large opened arc window, stood a silhouette of the thief, his shadow cast down onto Nokoru by the full moon set high up in the starry night sky.

"Stop right there!" Nokoru commanded, running to him.

Strangely enough, the thief turned to him, the shadows of the night hiding his face but not—

Nokoru faltered at the sight of the thief's eyes—

Those solemn, sorrowful, chocolate hued orbs…

How? How could something so regretful, so apologetic, so soft be in the eyes of a thief so skilled? It was strangely disconcerting and at the same time… hypnotizing…

For a long while, they stared at each other before the thief turned away and jumped off the window sill of the second floor.

"Ah!" Nokoru yelled out of reflex, running to the window and looking down to the ground where the thief should be but couldn't find a trace of him anywhere. "No way…" he muttered to himself. Even if he had super reflexes, the thief couldn't have been that fast. There was no way.

For a moment, Nokoru's eyebrows furrowed but that expression was then replaced by a smirk. "A challenge indeed." He said to himself.

* * *

"What went missing from the museum, Suoh?" Nokoru asked, leaning back in his large office chair, entwining his fingers with each other in font of him as he rested his elbows on the arm rest.

"Well, let's see…" Suoh said, sifting through the papers in the small folder on his lap. "It says here…that the thief took the famed Pearl of the Night."

"The Pearl of the Night, huh?"

"The Pearl of the Night?" Akira questioned as he came into the room with a tray of Mille Feuilles.

"Yes, it's the large black pearl that the museum hides in the West Wing." Suoh explained as Akira set the tray down on the table.

"A black pearl? Oh, yes! I think I've seen it before." Akira remembered with a finger to his chin, looking thoughtfully. He remembered getting a glance of it a few months ago as it was transferred into the west wing where the most precious artifacts were kept safe and secure.

"Yes, well, it's a rather famous pearl because of its distinct hue. And because it's so famous, many collectors from all over the world want to get their hands on it. Some have tried to steal it but thankfully, the pearl had been transferred again and again to keep its whereabouts anonymous. Only a few months earlier, it was transferred to our school because no one would suspect it to be here." Nokoru explain.

"Besides, we have a state of the art security system ensuring the safety of the pearl and only a few choice people actually know where it is."

"Oh? So the culprit must be some thief to be able to steal it and not even leave a trace." Akira praised.

"Yes, but what do you think the thief planned to do with it?" Suoh asked speculatively.

"Maybe he planned to sell it in the black market?" Akira suggested.

"And what connection does the Pearl of the Night have with the other stolen items?" Suoh added.

"Hm…" was all Nokoru said, his mind replaying repeatedly the image of the thief on the window sill. Those eyes… the sight seemed to have burned itself into his memory. He needed to find that thief soon. They were running out of leads and they had very few leads to start with. But more over… he was dying to find out who could possess such deep eyes…

There was a soft knock on the door, snatching them out of their own train of thoughts. Akira was the one to open it.

"O-Ohkawa-san! Azuya-san!" he exclaimed in surprise, seeing the two girls at their doorway, smiling brightly at them. Immediately, Suoh blushed as he stood -along with Nokoru- out of courtesy. He hadn't expected them to come and he couldn't help but redden at the sight of Nagisa smiling.

"Good afternoon, ladies." Nokoru was first to greet them with that sunshiny smile.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, Takamura-san, Ijuuin-san." Utako greeted back -coming in with a bashful Nagisa in tow- wearing that all-knowing smile of hers.

"To what do we owe the honor?" Nokoru asked, seeing that his two friends were far too busy blushing to speak.

"Well, we were thinking…" then she smiled brightly at Nokoru, "You three have been so busy with this investigation. It's high time that you take a little break!"

"A break?" Suoh finally spoke.

"Hai. Sometimes one looks at a problem for too long and misses what is the obvious. It's only when he steps back that he can see it." Nagisa answered with that gentle tone of hers.

"Well, that does sound inviting." Nokoru said thoughtfully.

"So, what do you suggest, Ohkawa-san?" Akira asked.

Utako took out six green tickets from her pocket and presented it to Nokoru.

Nokoru took a glance and knew exactly what it was for. It seemed that so did the others.

"The tickets to Dannen Hikiageru-san's concert tonight?" Akira incredulously spoke.

Utako smiled proudly and said, "Yes, I heard it's gonna be great!"

"She's the one that transferred here a few weeks ago, isn't she?" Suoh recognized, knowing that they were the one that checked the safety of the gardens she was going to perform in.

"Yes, so you _have_ heard of her!" Utako smiled brightly.

"They say she got here because of her wide range of talent in the arts." Akira supplied. "I heard she excels in all of them but was too shy to enroll in our school."

"That's right. It was her older brother who enrolled her to the school." Utako said.

"Is that right?" Nokoru said, only a little interested.

"I heard her practicing her songs last week and couldn't help but want to see her perform. She sings beautifully." Nagisa complimented.

"That's why I bought these tickets. I'm sure everyone will enjoy the show." Utako declared, clapping her hands together.

"Oh, but why do you have six tickets? Aren't we just five?" Suoh asked.

"Because!" Utako said, "If we're gonna watch the concert, I don't want Mr. Chairman to feel left out."

"How very kind of you, Ohkawa-san." Nokoru smiled, taking out a fan that had 'Treasure Wonderful Friends' written on it. "So, tell me, who am I to go with?"

"That's for you to figure out." She said.

Nokoru blinked twice in question.

"You mean I have to find someone to go with me?"

"Yup!"

Flipping his fan closed, Nokoru put his fist up theatrically with a determined look. "Alright, I understand! I will go and find a young lady to go with me! I will not fail!" Flipping the fan open, it now said 'Applause'.

Akira clapped enthusiastically just for the heck of it. "I'll cheer you on, Chairman!"

Suoh sweat-dropped but then slammed his hands angrily down the table. "Chairman!"

Akira and Nokoru both blinked at him. "What is it Takamura-san?" Nokoru asked.

"You are not going to the concert without finishing up all your paperwork first!"

"Aaaw, but Suoh…"

"No! Chairman, you have to be more responsible!"

"The Chairman might be late for the concert if he has to finish all his work today." Nagisa suggested.

Suoh felt powerless and blushed but then sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Alright. At least half."

Nokoru cheered up and smiled brightly at Suoh, "Thank you, Azuya-san!" He sang, flipping his fan open. It read, 'Cheerfulness!'

Suoh sweat-dropped again. He turned away and sighed, bringing his hand to his head. Chairman was hopelessly carefree.

* * *

As the sun started to set, Nokoru stood in his office, staring out through the large arc windows at the roseate sky. Only a small pile of paperwork was left standing on his desk behind him and its height cast shadows over the almost empty room.

How was it that the thief always seemed to enter a building and snatch the treasures with ease? How does he know how to open the safes and the vaults? How does he manage to take things in the middle of a room full of laser detectors?

And how was it that the thief always managed to suddenly disappear? There were no footprints where he was supposed to have landed and there was no sign of vehicles he could have mounted to escape.

The thief was a smart one, knowing how busy they, the Clamp School Detectives, were. He would make a two week interval before striking again, knowing that in those two weeks other problems would be piling up over his case, causing the detectives to adjourn him for a moment. It only took a moment.

Also, why was it that the thief always stole small treasures? Judging from his skill, he could have stolen much bigger and more expensive items. Like paintings and ancient artifacts. The stolen items would always be so small. Why would that be so?

He sighed. Maybe a look from outside the box was a good idea. Suoh and Akira were both already getting ready for tonight. He didn't even have a partner yet. He needed to look for one soon even though Akira offered to help find one for him. But they would most likely have the wrong conception and think that he was interested in them. Oh, how he just hated to make women cry…

Just then, the flapping of wings met his ears as pigeons of various colors flew before his very eyes. His eyes widened in surprise as the pigeons flew across his view, the sun's orange rays flashing wildly upon his form.

Strange. Why would pigeons be flying at sunset?

He looked down to the first floor and found himself staring at a young girl with one cage at her feet and another held open in her grip. She was waving to the pigeons, perhaps bidding them a safe trip. Her wavy black hair swayed behind her, caused by her motions.

He looked up again to the pigeons as they stopped circling the area and went straight off towards what Nokoru supposed was their home. His curiosity was ignited. Quickly, he took his coat and walked out of the office, walking hastily to the entrance hall where the mystery girl was.

When he arrived there, he was a bit thankful that she was just starting to leave. "Excuse me." He called out.

She faltered and turned around to look at him. Nokoru felt as if icy water had just been thrown over him in the middle of a snowy winter night. Deep mahogany eyes stared at him, beholding nothing…absolutely nothing.

He stared at her and she stared back. For a long while, Nokoru found that his mind was a blank as he watched her watch him, the setting sun's rays bathing her lithe form. But as soon as he realized that, he gathered his wits and smiled brightly. "Good evening." He greeted cheerily, coming towards her.

She turned to him fully and bowed, surprising him. "Oh, please, no need for formalities." He smiled as she straightened her posture and looked up at him blankly. "Pardon me for asking, but are those pigeons yours?"

"Yes." She answered in a meek blank tone.

"May I ask why you are setting them free at this time? You see, I'm no pigeon expert. But isn't it said that pigeons can't see their way home at night?" he asked.

"Yes, that's true." She answered, her lips twitching upwards just a little bit. "But one out of a hundred pigeons can find their way home even at night. I am training my pigeons so that they will be that one percent."

"Really?" Nokoru asked, interest caught. "Can they do that?"

Her smile grew into a smirk and Nokoru couldn't help but feel that she could rival the smile of Mona Lisa. That smile that said 'I know something you don't know'. It entranced him, along with the fact that she was quite attractive in her own way. "I have…ways of teaching them…" she answered.

A smile grew onto Nokoru's own face and he couldn't help but ask, "I don't seem to remember seeing you around. Are you new?"

"Yes, I am."

"Oh, I see." He smiled brightly and bowed in a gentlemanly way, startling the young girl. "My name is Imonoyama Nokoru. And you are?"

She hesitated for a while before, "Heaven Winggates."

"So, you are American?"

"Half American, half Filipina."

"How interesting." He opened a fan and it read, 'Philippines!' Seeing the fan, Heaven chuckled a little and looked at him strangely, no doubt thinking how weird Nokoru was. "It's nice to meet you, Heaven-san. And may I say, your Japanese is very fluent."

"Thank you, Imonoyama-san. The pleasure is all mine."

"Heaven-san, do you have anything planned tonight?"

Her eyebrows raised and she looked at him warily. "Excuse me?"

"You see, my friends gave me two tickets to a concert later on tonight. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to bring with me. So I wondered if you might be free tonight and honor me with your presence." He said, smiling charmingly the smile that could make anyone melt.

She blinked at him for a few times before she broke out into a full fledged smile. It made Nokoru falter for a moment, surprised in a pleasing way. In the back of his mind he knew she would say yes.

"Gomen, Imonoyama-san. I…have an appointment tonight."

It took Nokoru a few seconds to register in his mind that he had just been rejected by a girl. Rejected. Rejection. So that was what it felt like.

Smiling it away he said, "Oh, it's alright, really. Thank you for your time anyway. I shouldn't have kept you."

"Iie, it's alright." She said, shaking her head softly. "Thank you for the offer." With that she bowed and turned to leave.

Nokoru watched her as she swayed the empty cages by either side of her while walking idly away. He looked down at his feet and thought about the earlier events. "So…that was rejection…?" he'd never felt it before.

"Chairman!" he looked up and found Akira waving at him, Suoh, Utako, Nagisa and a pretty girl who's name he couldn't recall standing by his side. "We found someone you can go with!" he said.

Nokoru went to them and found that the pretty girl with short brunette hair and green-blue eyes was his partner to be. Her name was Chouoogata and she had a very pretty smile, especially when she blushed as Nokoru smiled at her. She was an older friend of Nagisa's and had been itching to see the concert as well.

The blonde could tell that the girl had a crush on him. Being the gentleman that he was, he offered his arm to her. She blushed prettily again and took his arm, following the group as they went to the concert garden.

Nokoru turned to the west, watching the sun slowly sinking from his sight. He wondered. Would those pigeons go back to her like she expected? Would they come home to her through the darkness of the night? Would she be disappointed if some of them got lost?

But in the back of his mind, one meek question remained even when he pushed all thoughts aside and concentrated on the conversation Chouoogata started.

Would he be able to meet her again?


	2. Appointment

**Shadow of the Hazy Moon**

By Warm-Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the OCs.

Summary: Why can't the Clamp School Detectives catch this thief? Not a trace, not a clue. All Nokoru could see were the eyes of the shadow of the hazy moon.

Chapter 2: Appointment

"It seems that Dannen-san is more popular than we thought." Akira said speculatively, looking around to find their respective seats among the audience.

"Yeah, it looks that way." Suoh agreed. "How long has she been here again?"

"I think two weeks." Nagisa answered. "I think she's still taking some time to adjust."

"Adjust indeed." Nokoru said with that kind smile. Utako found their seats. As Nokoru pulled back the chair for his lady companion, he couldn't help but say, "I think she's already a shoe-in in our beloved school, don't you agree?"

"What makes you say that, Chairman?" Suoh asked with curiosity, taking his seat.

Nokoru took his seat as well and took out a fan that read, 'Sensitive Ears!'. "Well I've heard many people speak of her." Suoh sweat-dropped.

"Oh. Yes. So have I." Chouoogata said. "I heard that she was quite the beauty and already she had dumped four guys flat on her first week."

"Is that true?" Utako asked, curious about her.

"Well, I haven't seen her do it. My friends just told me." Chouugata answered.

"Did one of those boys happen to be Hirua Chi of the elementary baseball team?" Akira asked.

"Yes, I think he's one of them. How'd you know?"

"Oh well, it's just that a few weeks ago he looked a bit depressed when I saw him. I tried to ask him about it but he didn't seem to be in the mood to talk."

"If that's true, then he must have been one of them. Poor guy. To think that he mustered up all his courage just to get dumped. I wouldn't be like that if a guy came up to me. I'd at least give him a chance. Don't you agree, Imonoyama-san?"

Nokoru smiled, glad that his partner was finally getting comfortable around them. "Yes, I think so too."

Suoh was just about to speak his thoughts in defense of the girl who was the subject of the conversation when suddenly the red curtains with the Clamp School logo on it parted and everyone started to clap.

They all turned their attention to the wooden stage and everyone stared wordlessly for a while. Nokoru couldn't help but let his lips part slightly because of the shock and irony.

"Heaven-san?" he uttered softly.

And there, standing on the middle of the stage with her head down cast, eyes lightly closed, spotlight steady on her form and stray strands of wavy hair cascading down her back and some over her shoulder, wearing a white frilly dress with black outlines, silver ribbons wrapped intricately around her arms and legs and one thick silver ribbon tied around her neck. She looked absolutely…angelic.

She brought the wireless black mic to her lips and began softly.

"Do you have something to say?

I didn't see your smile today?

You don't seem to concentrate

I wish you'd just say what you have to say

And I'll try to understand

Just let me hold your hand"

She started to sing. The lights showered the stage and she finally looked up, opening her eyes, revealing such soft dark brown orbs outlined by long thick lashes. The image could take anyone's breath away.

"What did you say? I don't get it.

That I should love someone else, is that it?"

Suddenly, the soft tune of the piano was replaced by a much livelier tune, inviting people to dance to the quick paced rhythm. A smile appeared on her lips as she looked to the audience. The dancers who wore shiny silver uniforms appeared from both sides of the stage and came out to dance around her.

"Ah-ah-ah-woah….

Don't say it, don't, don't, d-d-don't, don't say it

Don't tell me lies, don't tell me you can't

Feel this love for you (especially for you)

Ready to leave it all behind

Oh baby"

Slowly, her hips started swaying to the music, her eyes glimmering with something both innocent and seductive. She moved in sync with the choreography as she went on singing.

"Ah-ah-ah-woah…

Don't you ever, ever say it

Don't tell me lies, don't tell me you're not

Really the one for me

That I should just leave you behind

I can never bring myself to believe it…"

She walked forward, a sway to her hips as she went. Reaching out to the audience and expressing her lyrics.

"What were you thinking, saying something like that?

Why do you think so highly of me?

Even if I don't always say it

Isn't it enough to feel and see?"

The lights turned colorful and wild, flying from here to there, turning into shadows of shapes. She turned around quickly, her hair whipping the air before her, and returned to the center of the stage, dancing the choreography with the dancers.

"What did you say? I don't understand.

That I should find someone else…

Don't—you—say—it!

Ah-ah-ah-woah…

Don't say it, don't, don't, d-d-don't, don't say it

Don't tell me lies, don't tell me you can't

Feel this love for you (especially for you)

Ready to leave it all behind

Oh-oh, baby

Ah-ah-ah-woah…

Don't you ever, ever say it

Don't tell me lies, don't tell me you're not

Really the one for me

That I should just leave you behind"

They all seemed to slow and fade back into the darkness, leaving her back in her original state; standing in the spotlight in all her glory. The piano returned.

"Cause in the dark

Whose hand was there to hold?

Now in the light

I swear to you I'll never let you… go!"

Her high pitched tune on the last part had awed many and made them clap in amazement as the colorful lights returned and they started dancing again.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-aha

Don't say it, don't, don't, d-d-don't, don't say it

Don't tell me lies, don't tell me you can't

Feel this love for you (especially, only for you)

Ready to leave it all behind

Oh-woah, baby

Ah-ah-aha-ah-ah-ah

Don't you ever, ever say it

Don't tell me lies, don't tell me you're not

Really the one for me

That I should just leave you behind"

Suddenly as if she was loosing energy, her upheld arm slowly fell to her sides, darkness once again consumed the dancers and she was left under the spot light. She looked up and smiled bitterly, uttering the last words.

"You're such an idiot…"

And it was over. It took a moment for the audience to regain their breaths and clap enthusiastically. Some even going so far as to stand and whistle. She smiled kindly, despite her heavy breathing, and bowed to them.

"That was wonderful!" Akira exclaimed, clapping too quickly.

"Yes, I must admit that that performance really knocked me off my feet!" Utako added, clapping happily.

"I'm so glad we came to see her." Nagisa said, clapping femininely.

"That was impressive." Suoh commented, clapping with a small smile.

"No wonder she got accepted to Clamp School." Chouoogata said.

Nokoru went on looking—scratch that, staring in bewilderment at the girl that stood on the stage, thanking the people who came and introducing herself.

"Thank you all for coming. I'm honored. My name is Dannen Hikiageru and I'd like all of you to know that the money gained from those tickets you bought will be donated to the Musical Arts department." People from the back of the stage and even some from the back of the audience cheered. Obviously the Musical Arts department was quite proud of their little diamond. She smiled again and continued.

"Thank you for coming and I hope you enjoy the show." And with that another song started. It was slow this time.

Slowly, a small smirk grew onto Nokoru's lips.

"Tell me, do you still remember the time…when…

You and I were once together…

Can you still remember?"

"I see. So that's what she meant by an 'appointment'." Nokoru spoke, easing himself back to his seat and choosing to enjoy the show. He supposed a 'congratulations' was in order.

* * *

He knocked on the door and a soft voice soon replied, "I'm almost done." After a moment, the door was opened, revealing a cleaned up, much simpler version of the girl Nokoru had watched earlier. She looked at him with surprise.

He smiled triumphantly; glad that he achieved the reaction he had hoped for. Taking out from behind him a single red rose, he greeted. "Congratulations, Dannen-san."

"Uhm—t-thank you…" she said, taking the flower awkwardly. Then she turned to him with an apologetic look, "Gomen. I can't remember your last name. All I remember is Nokoru."

Nokoru's eyebrows raised in surprised but then smiled kindly. "That's alright. I suppose we're even since I don't really know which name of yours I should use."

"Oh, yes." She said, looking down uncomfortably.

Unexpectedly, Nokoru bowed to her like he did earlier that evening, successfully startling the girl again. "My name's Imonoyama, Nokoru. And you are?"

Blinking a bit then smiling, she accepted his outstretched hand. "I'm Heaven Winggates. My Japanese name is Dannen Hikiageru. Please address me with either name you like. I'm glad to meet you…again, Imonoyama-san."

"The pleasure is all mine, Dannen-san. And please, do call me Nokoru instead. I rather like how it sounds coming from you." He said, kissing the back of her hand and straightening his posture.

"Well, now." Heaven said with a smirk. "I hadn't expected you to be a flatterer, Nokoru-san."

Nokoru smiled wider, "Only to make a woman smile, Hikiageru-san."

"I hope you enjoyed the show."

"Of course! My friends and I enjoyed it very much. Actually a friend of mine is quite interested in working with you. She plays the flute and would love to make music with you."

"Really? What's her name?"

"Her name is Azuya Nagisa-san; a lovely young girl from the kindergarten department. She's quite talented in playing the flute. I'm sure you two will get along great."

"Azuya Nagisa. Hm…I'd love to meet her some time."

"Oh, she's just out in the gardens. Would you like to meet her now?"

"Oh—uhm…" Nokoru's eyebrows furrowed at hearing the hesitant tone in her voice.

"Is there a proble—"

"Heaven."

They turned around, hearing the low velvety voice of a man.

"K-Kuya!" Heaven recognized.

Nokoru took in the sight of this man. Slick black hair flowing down around his face, cold brown eyes (much like his sister's) steadied on them critically, pale skin, thin frame covered by a black tuxedo, and a scowl on his handsome features. He looked like a high school student but Nokoru didn't reckon that he was in the high school department.

Quickly, Heaven came to his side and turned to Nokoru. "Nokoru-san, this is my brother, Stefan Winggates. His Japanese name is Dannen Kakoku. Kuya, this is my new friend, Imonoyama Nokoru."

Nokoru beamed up at the man and held out his hand to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Kakoru-san."

Kakoru just narrowed his eyes at Nokoru, making the younger boy falter in wonder. But his wide smile returned, even though he had withdrawn his hand. "Your sister is quite talented. We thank you for choosing Clamp School for her."

"Let's go, Heaven." He said, turning away and leaving.

Nokoru heard Hikiageru sigh softly then she turned to him with an apologetic look. "Gomen. I hope I can meet this Azuya girl soon." She said, smiling weakly then turning on her heels and walking after her brother, leaving Nokoru to watch them walk away.

"Kakoru…" Nokoru said to himself, thinking. Something was familiar about those eyes of his. Something…reminded Nokoru of a memory…


	3. Envy

**Shadow of the Hazy Moon**

By Warm-Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the OCs.

Summary: Why can't the Clamp School Detectives catch this thief? Not a trace, not a clue. All Nokoru could see were the eyes of the shadow of the hazy moon.

**Short Author's note: The songs from the earlier chapter are originally mine and uhm…What else was I gonna say? Uhm…this chapter is dedicated to psychoanalyst. For her support and worry about pressuring me. Hehehe… don't worry, I was planning on updating even if you didn't review. But I;m still very glad you did. THANK YOU!**

Chapter 3: Envy

Walking down the dimly lit hallway, into a vast and beautifully designed living room, a shadowy figure could be seen lounging on the striped red and black leather couch, watching an enormous television screen that showed the latest news.

The tv was the only source of light in the room, casting shadows at her bare feet.

"Kuya…" she called meekly.

The shadowy figure on the couch turned back to her, revealing empty brown eyes. He waited for her to speak but she did not. "Yes?" he asked instead.

Heaven looked down at her feet, a bit uncertain, looking for the words to start with.

Seeing his sister's hesitation, Stefan sighed and turned back to the tv, patting the space beside him loudly. Obediently, Heaven sat beside him and looked down at the hands she laid on her lap, still silent as her older brother reached over to the desk in front of him to take a black remote. He turned off the tv and pointed the remote to the ceiling, pushing one of the buttons to turn on the lights.

With that over with, he looked down at his sister critically. She was now wearing her white satin night gown, her wavy black hair was held in a half pony so that some of her locks cascaded down her back and shoulders, complimenting her fair skin tone. He watched her gaze at her hands with a blank expression similar to his own.

"Did you…" she finally spoke, "Did you see my performance?"

"Yes."

"How was I?"

Stefan stared at her for a moment before closing his eyes and leaning back onto the couch. "You were…wonderful."

Heaven looked up at him, seeing his eyes closed with a relaxed expression on his face. She smiled softly, glad that he liked it. "Buti naman…" she muttered.

A frown marred Stefan's features and he looked down at her with slight annoyance in his voice. "What did I tell you about speaking in Tagalog?"

Heaven bit her lower lip and looked down with dejection. "Gomen…it escaped me…"

Stefan shook his head and looked out to the gardens through the glass panel. Silence ruled for a few moments before Stefan spoke again, staring deeply out at the beautiful greenery. "Heaven."

"Po?"

"That Nokoru boy."

"Yes…?"

"Don't hang around with him, alright?"

"Po? Pero—" she stopped herself short and corrected herself. "But why?"

He didn't answer for a long while and she looked up at him, only to see him staring out at the garden with displeasure. He was always like that whenever he didn't like to continue a subject, so she took it upon herself to change it.

"Kuya?"

He turned his eyes to her and she continued to ask.

"When is that girl coming back here?"

His eyebrows furrowed, "What girl?"

"The pretty girl you took home a few nights ago. I wanted to apologize to her but I never got the chance."

"Apologize for what?"

She blushed lightly and said, "For walking in on the two of you. I should have knocked before—"

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no need to apologize to her. She isn't coming back."

Now it was her turn to look confused, "But…I thought—"

"She's just an acquaintance. Nothing more." He looked at her when he didn't hear her reply. She was looking down again but now with a twinge of sadness in her eyes. "Why is it so important to you anyway?"

"She was very beautiful." She said softly. "I thought that…she would be the one who deserved you…"

Stefan took a moment to recall the last he'd seen of the girl in question. As he recalled she had long straight black hair (she was originally a brunette but she dyed her hair black when she heard that he liked women with black hair) and dark brown eyes. Her body was curvaceous and her face was gorgeous. She recalled that she was wearing a royal red dress and her black eyeliner stained her cheeks as she cried miserably, begging him to take her back.

But he would not. He remembered distinctly the words she uttered when Heaven had accidentally walked in on them. Just thinking of it again made his blood boil. He would never forgive anyone who spoke of his sister that way. Never.

Mentally shaking off the thoughts, he returned his sight to his sister, the frail little thing sitting beside him, looking beautiful bathed under the moonlight.

Reaching over, he cupped her cheek in his hand and brought her to face him. He leaned forward so that he could more closely see the eyes that always brought him comfort, always cared, always loved.

"You should know by now that you're the only beautiful woman in my eyes. And you're the only one who deserves me." She smiled softly at that, a light blush appearing on her cheeks.

Wrapping his arms around her form, he pushed her back so that he would lay on top of her, burying his nose in her hair and breathing in her soft scent. Lightly, she brought her hands to rest on his back, feeling the soft silk of his black pajamas, as she closed her eyes and nuzzled his neck lovingly. "Kuya…" she whispered softly.

Slowly her eyes fluttered open as a thought crossed her mind. "Kuya…I need to check up on the pigeons."

"Mmmm, not yet." He muttered to her hair, his body refusing to move from its comfortable place. She was just about to protest when she suddenly felt a soft vibration on her hip, tickling her.

She squealed helplessly and Stefan groaned in frustration. He propped himself up with one hand and used the other to reach his pants pocket where his celphone rang. Taking the opportunity to escape, she sat up and started to get to her feet.

"Talk." He grabbed her wrist gently before she could get away. She looked back at him with a small smile, bending over to kiss his forehead lightly. "Yes, that's right." He said to the phone as he closed his eyes momentarily before letting her wrist go. He opened his eyes to watch her leave, returning his face to its normal blank expression. "No, I have it…it's with me."

Heaven watched from the shadows of the hall as her brother proceeded to speak with whomever it was that called; though she had a good guess of who it would be. In the darkness, her eyes glimmered of sadness. So much longing and wishing, never spoken and never heard. With one graceful spin on her heels, she left.

* * *

Nokoru smiled brightly as Akira came inside the room, bringing a tray of orange juice in one hand. "Good morning, everyone!" He greeted cheerfully but then faltered, looking at Suoh who was leaning forward on Nokoru's desk.

"Good morning, Akira! Is it time for lunch already?" Nokoru asked happily.

"CHAIRMAN!" Suoh yelled, glaring daggers at his superior. "You are not going to escape doing your paper work today!"

"Oh, come on, Suoh. Lighten up." Nokoru gently chided, flipping his fan open where it wrote, 'Relaxation is fun!'

"Chairman, you are two days behind!" Suoh argued.

"I can do them all later…after lunch…"

"No! Chairman, you need to be more responsible!"

Akira smiled and set the tea tray down on the desk to the corner of the room. "Oh, Chairman, that reminds me." He said, gaining both men's attention. "Chouoogata-san gave me this letter earlier this morning. She told me to give it to you."

"Really? For me?" Nokoru asked, taking the letter from Akira's hand. Opening it, he read quietly as Suoh and Akira waited. A small smile appeared on his lips as he finished and he closed the letter, putting it into one of the drawers of his desk.

"Well?" Suoh asked with curiosity.

Nokoru smiled, "She just wanted to thank me for walking her home last night. She said she had fun."

"It seems that she really mustered up all her courage to give that letter to you, Chairman." Akira added.

"Yes, and I'm quite flattered. I'm glad she's no longer so shy." Just then, a soft sound caught his attention and Nokoru quickly turned around to his window, looking for its source. He looked out to the tree near them and saw that it was a little white pigeon. His eyebrows furrowed. The pigeon was alone and flapping its wings even though it would not fly.

Something clicked in his mind.

Quickly he stood up, startling his friends, and walked out of the room. "Ah—Chairman!" Suoh tried to call but Nokoru was already out the door. Akira blinked out of his stupor.

"What was that all about?" Akira asked though was unanswered. The action was just too strange, even for Nokoru.

* * *

Nokoru reached out for the pigeon, holding onto the tree branch for his life. Upon closer inspection he could see that the pigeon had yellow hairs sticking out of its head and vaguely remembered that it was a sign that the pigeon was still young.

"Come now, Pigeon-san…" he muttered, trying to coax it to come to him instead of him going farther up the branch. "I won't hurt you…" he added with a reassuring smile.

The pigeon looked at him warily, backing away every few minutes and Nokoru found that if he didn't grab it soon, it probably would fly away. And so, positioning himself to straddle the branch in between his legs, he tested its sturdiness by sitting up. He didn't fall. That was a good thing.

Reaching over to the still untrusting pigeon, he readied his hands around the body. And with one fell swoop, he grabbed the pigeon and pulled into to his arms, trying to stop its incessant and troublesome lashing. Finally, he managed to hold its wings down with two hands and smiled triumphantly. "There we have it. That wasn't so bad, now was it?" he asked the pigeon pleasantly.

But then he looked down and found himself in a doozey. "Hmmm…It seems I didn't think this far ahead." Obviously, he could not get down without either letting go of the pigeon or falling off. "What an interesting dilemma." He said to himself.

There was a loud whistle that made the pigeon lash violently again and Nokoru had to hold it closer to keep the pigeon in place. He looked to the source and found that it was…

"Oh…Hikiageru-san." He blinked again as she spotted him sitting at an odd place. Her eyebrows furrowed as she walked up to the tree bark looking up at him. He smiled brightly, "Good day, Hikiageru-san! How do you do?"

She broke out into a small smile and shook her head at his silly antics. Putting the small whistle she held in her hand to her lips, she blew again and the pigeon lashed violently once more. This time Nokoru let it go and it flew down to her open arms.

Hikiageru smiled down at it and she adjusted the pigeon so that she could get a good hold of it with one hand. Thankful for the liberation of his hands, Nokoru smiled and climbed down the tree with precaution.

"Thank you for finding him, Imonoyama-san." She said, bowing politely.

"Please, call me Nokoru. And it's no problem, really. I had a suspicion it would be yours, seeing as you were the one that set them free last night. I take it all your pigeons got home safe?"

Her eyebrows rose in surprise then she smiled to him. "Yes, except for him. I guess it's my fault. I didn't realize that I had brought him into the cage with the adults. He's still young, you see…"

"Yes, that's why he has those yellow hairs, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I hope you don't mind me asking but, how do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Hold him with one hand."

"Oh, you just take his feet with your index and middle finger like this…"

"Oh, I see…"

"Then use the rest of your fingers to hold his wings down like this."

"But won't he poop on you?"

She giggled lightly with a spark of amusement in her eyes. "Don't worry; he only does that after he's eaten. Besides, even if he does…poop…on you, it won't be dirty. These birds only eat grains so their feces are nothing to be disgusted of."

"I see. You've got a point there." He said matter-of-factly.

"Would you like to hold him?" she offered; a tone of gentleness in her voice he hadn't heard before.

"May I? Thank you." He smiled, carefully slipping his hand over hers. Hikiageru ignored the thought of how smooth his soft hand was, perhaps the result of being so wealthy since birth. "Do I hold him like this?"

"Yes, just like that." She smiled at him, glad to see Nokoru pet the animal gently, a youthful air about him, a gentle smile on his face. He was so…carefree. Her smile slowly melted back into its blank expression as she thought more of this. He was so happy and…she discovered that she…was a bit envious of Nokoru. She bit her lower lip as melancholy thoughts entered her mind before pushing them away. She put up a smile on her face as if nothing had happened.

Nokoru looked at her with questioning thoughts running through his head. He had noticed a sudden change in her facial expression and it had worried the young blonde. But her smile returned just as quickly as it had vanished and she looked just as radiant as before. Anyone who knew Nokoru knew that he was always concerned whenever it regarded a woman's happiness.

The very reason he organized the Clamp School Detectives was to make women happy. And seeing that look in her eyes, even if only for a flash, made him wonder why, when, where, who and how.

He had always wondered why her eyes were so blank and expressionless the first time he had seen her. She seemed so detached…so uncaring. Surely a girl as gifted and beautiful as her could not be so…emotionless.

The pigeon flapped its wings free and Nokoru was snatched away from his train of thoughts as he felt the pigeon trying to fly away. Quickly, Hikiageru held the pigeon's wings down and gently slid her fingers down to take hold of its feet, successfully taking it out of Nokoru's grasp.

Nokoru smiled again and said, "Thank you again for letting me hold him."

"No, it's my pleasure."

"Chairman!" Nokoru turned to see Suoh and Akira at the doorway, panting heavily. Akira looked worried while Suoh looked…uhm…displeased?

"Suoh, Akira!" Nokoru acknowledged, waving to them, ignoring the angry look Suoh was giving him.

"So there you are! We've been looking all over for you, Chairman!" Suoh said, stomping over to them.

But Akira was the one to notice that Nokoru had company. "D-Dannen Hikiageru-san!" he said incredulously.

"Akira, Suoh, meet my new friend, Dannen Hikiageru-san. Hikiageru-san, these are my friends, Takamura Suoh and Ijuiin Akira."

Hikiageru bowed politely, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The two boys bowed again, a bit disconcerted at seeing the woman so close. It was like talking to a celebrity, uncomfortable and weird.

"Ah—you were great at the concert last night." Suoh complimented, not really knowing what to say.

She smiled charmingly, "Thank you very much, Takamura-san."

"Oh, that reminds me about Azuya-san!" Nokoru declared happily.

Suoh quickly fidgeted and reacted violently, "And why do you remember her now?"

"I seem to remember her whenever I look at you, Suoh." Nokoru smiled mischievously, flipping his fan open where it read, 'Love! Love! Love!'

Suoh blushed furiously and yelled at him, "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW, CHAIRMAN!"

Hikiageru watched on as Akira smiled innocently, joining in as Nokoru teased Suoh wittily. Again she felt something she didn't normally feel. Now it was official that she envied Imonoyama Nokoru. She wanted…what he was…


	4. Hanging out and Dating

**Shadow of the Hazy Moon**

By Warm-Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the OCs.

Summary: Why can't the Clamp School Detectives catch this thief? Not a trace, not a clue. All Nokoru could see were the eyes of the shadow of the hazy moon.

**Short Author's note: **

Dedicated to yellingatthemonkeys for digging the Tagalog. Hehehehe…Thanks, I'm glad you liked it! I wanted her to be tan as well but because Stefan hardly ever lets her out of the house, I suppose she wouldn't get enough sun to be tan. Thanks for the suggestion and the support! I hope you like this chapter!

Chapter 4: Hanging out and Dating

"Tea, Dannen-san?" Akira offered with a smile to the silent young lady sitting on the couch next to Suoh who was speaking to Nokoru who sat on the couch across them.

"Thank you." Hikiageru nodded, taking the tea cup carefully from Akira's own. Akira beamed brightly at her before taking his seat beside Nokoru, soon joining in their conversation as well.

Hikiageru sipped her tea quietly, Nokoru noticed. It felt like she was actually doing her best to stay unnoticed. However it was quite a task since she was after, Dannen Hikiageru—viewed as the new pop star of Clamp School. It was puzzling how quiet she was being, almost like she wasn't there at all.

He wouldn't have that. For one, it would be quite rude to ignore their guest. And another thing was that…her eyes had lost their emotion again. It was like the first time he'd seen her. Completely detached and unapproachable…unlike the Heaven Winggates he had come to know.

He returned his attention to what Akira was saying, "Yes, I like that idea, Akira. What do you think, Hikiageru-san?"

She blinked once her name was spoken and she looked up at him dumbly. "Ha?"

"Akira was just talking about the new Garden project for our school. They said that planting more trees would add to its beauty." Suoh explained kindly.

"I proposed for another Sakura tree since the Clamp School is well known for it." Akira cheerfully said.

"What do you think, Hikiageru-san?" Nokoru asked again.

Heaven looked down at her tea for a moment before looking back up. "A Sakura tree would be beautiful…"

Hidden in Nokoru's smile was a bit of disappointment. He was hoping for a less…what was he hoping for? Perhaps an answer that might give him a clue as to how her mind worked? He was not happy with her answer. It was too agreeable. But he was a boy known for being relentless. "What do you suggest, Hikiageru-san?"

Heaven looked at him for a while, seemingly hesitating to speak. He wondered why she was hesitating and had a vague idea. Finally, she spoke, "I suppose…a Narra tree…"

"A Narra tree?" Suoh asked.

"I see," Nokoru smiled, "A Narra tree is a deciduous, long stemmed tree. It's also the national tree of your home country, isn't it, Hikiageru-san?"

"Yes. It's a…surprising tree…"

"Why would you say that, Dannen-san?" Akira asked.

"When I was younger, our home in the Philippines had a Narra tree in our garden. I used to think it was just a normal tree. There was nothing that special about it except it's known for its durability. But then…around the month of February or May…I was surprised when something bright yellow fell from over my head when the wind blew. I looked up and found that the Narra tree had blossomed. The bright yellow petals were so beautiful…I wanted to catch each and every one of them."

For a moment, Nokoru felt captivated. Something had surfaced in those brown eyes of hers. Something he had only seen when she was on stage. The emptiness vanished, if only for a moment. But it was too fast to recognize…too faint to discern.

"Please…go on…" he found himself saying. She looked up at him with hesitation, calculating if trust should be given.

"Yes, please do continue." Suoh said as well.

Thinking it was impolite to ignore their pleas, she looked down and continued. "But then I heard my mother say that it will only bloom for a short time. And so I took a handful of those blossoms and kept them in a jar. I placed it on my desk and looked at it as much as I could. Unfortunately, a few days later, the petals grew moss in my jar and I had to throw it out."

"How sad…" Akira sympathized.

"Not really." Heaven said, shaking her head softly. "It was beautiful while it lasted…" she said, looking up and giving a small shrug with a smile that didn't seem to reach her eyes.

"But you wanted it to stay, didn't you?" Nokoru asked knowingly. She turned to him with those unreadable eyes and he continued, flipping his fan open. "That's why you put some of those blossoms in a jar, wasn't it? Because you wanted it to last…"

Slowly a small frown appeared on her expressionless face, almost unnoticeable to the untrained eye. He just smiled at her again, cocking his head to the side. Oh, did he strike a chord? He hoped so.

"It sounds magnificent." Suoh finally said, smiling at Heaven softly. "I hope I see a Narra tree one day."

She looked at Suoh with well hidden surprise before Akira chimed in, "Yes, me too! I'd love to see a Narra tree some day!" she turned to him too.

"Why not? When we're older, let's all go see a Narra tree together." Nokoru brightly suggested, fanning himself slowly.

"Great! Then it's all settled!" Akira cheerfully declared.

A small smile appeared on Hikiageru's lips as she watched the three boys plan out their lives together. Nokoru was truly so blessed. Having friends who'd want to stay with him for as long as they could…

"And you will come too, won't you, Hikiageru-san?" she blinked up at him, caught by surprise and alarmed by the question. How would she answer that?

"If…God want us to meet again…then we will…" she said hesitantly.

"I suppose I'll just have to pray hard then."

She knew it was wrong. She was hanging out with Nokoru. Not only Nokoru but with his friends as well. Her brother told her not to…but she couldn't be impolite when they had offered her lunch so kindly. Sitting with them in their office, drinking tea and eating a slice of cake…this was hanging out…this was what she wasn't supposed to do…

She had stayed long enough…

Softly she smiled at him and set down her tea. "Thank you for your kindness, Nokoru-san, Ijuiin-san, Takamura-san. But I'm afraid I'm going to be late for my next class if I stay any longer."

"Oh, well then," Nokoru started, the three boys getting onto their feet when she stood as well. "Thank you for joining us, Hikiageru-san."

"It was a pleasure to meet you." Akira added happily.

"We hope to see you again soon." Suoh said.

She bowed to them and they bowed back. Nokoru escorted her to the exit and held the door open for her. "Thank you." She said meekly to him before passing him by, though she herself was a bit unsure as to what she was thankful for. Nokoru smiled his ever charming smile at her and watched her step out of their office.

"I should be thanking you. For the story you told us, I mean."

She graced him with a small smile.

"Would you like me to escort you to your next class?" Nokoru offered. She was just about to answer when…

"Imonoyama-san?"

They turned to the figure before them and Nokoru immediately smiled. "Chouoogata-san! Good afternoon!"

"I just came to see if you had received my letter, Imonoyama-san. I was hoping to receive your answer today…" she said with that shy smile of hers, looking up at him with her beautiful blue-green eyes.

"Of course, Chouoogata-san. How can I deny anything from a beautiful lady such as yourself?" Nokoru smiled, being the charming man that he was.

Her eyes widened and so did her smile, she clasped her hands together in front of her and said, "Really! Oh, thank you, Imonoyama-san! A-Am I disturbing?" she asked with a worried face, looking from him to Heaven. Nokoru hadn't noticed the way Heaven averted her gaze from Chouoogata.

"Oh, well—" Nokoru was about to reply. But then Heaven spoke up.

"Thank you again for your time, _Imonoyama_-san." Nokoru faltered at that. His smile vanished as he looked at her with worry.

She smiled that smile at him; the smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You've been…kind…" She said. Bowing her leave, she turned and walked away.

"Oh, wasn't that Dannen Hikiageru-san?" Nokoru heard Chouoogata ask.

Instantly his smile returned, "Yes, she is. She was kind enough to join us for lunch."

"Really? I hope I hadn't interrupted anything—"

"No, please don't worry about it."

"That's good." She smiled, "So, I'll see you at around…seven…?"

"I can't wait." He smiled.

* * *

Suoh stared at Nokoru with eyes wide and mouth agape. Akira gasped happily at the sight before him.

"I…I can't believe it." Suoh stated dumbly.

"What's not to believe, Suoh? You really should have more faith in me." Nokoru said happily fanning himself and leaning back in his seat.

"It's not that…I—I just…can't believe it…"

"This is really a momentous occasion, Takamura-san! We should celebrate the day—er—night that Mr. Chairman has finished all his paperwork!" Akira clapped his hands together.

"Uh—y-yeah, I suppose…" Suoh said, still in a daze while staring at the neat pile of papers sitting on the 'OUT' box and the empty box of 'IN'. It was a miracle.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Akira, but I won't be able to celebrate with you guys." Nokoru said, standing to look out into the night sky.

"Huh?" Akira asked.

"You see…" he turned to face them with a cheery smile and flipped his fan open in an adorable fashion only Nokoru could do. "I have a date tonight."

"**A DATE!"**

Nokoru could only chuckle at the incredulous looks on their faces. "Take care of the office for me while I'm gone, okay?"

"With whom?" Akira asked excitedly.

"Don't tell me! It's with Dannen-san, isn't it!" Suoh guessed.

Nokoru chuckled again and wagged his finger at Suoh, "No, no. Hikiageru-san isn't really that type of girl."

"What do you mean, Chairman?"

"Well, from the short time I've met her I've already deduced that she's a very pragmatic person. And since I've only met her for a couple of days, I don't think she'll fall in love with me any time soon." Nokoru admitted with modesty aside. It wasn't like he was proud of the fact that women adored him in an almost unhealthy way. He was just stating facts and facing the undeniable and eminent truth. Akira and Suoh understood that, he knew.

"Why do you say she's pragmatic, Mr. Chairman?"

Nokoru looked out at the sky again, setting his eyes on a hazy crescent moon, before turning back to them and covering his mischievous smile with his fan for effect. "It's a Secret!"

"Mr. Chairman!" Akira was just about to whine when Suoh spoke up.

"Then who are you on a date with?"

"With the beautiful Miss Zairu Chouoogata-san."

"**EEHHH!"**

"B-But when—"

"It was in the letter."

"And it's an official date?"

"Yes, she wanted it to be so."

"And you said yes!"

"Of course! I can never say no to a lady."

Suoh leaned forward to the desk so as to support his weary self. This was just too sudden. Their Nokoru…was actually going on a date with a girl?

"Wow…" Akira said, finding that it was all he actually could say. But then, he supposed Chouoogata was the first to actually ever ask Nokoru out. He cheered up and smiled at their Chairman. "Well, good luck, Mr. Chairman!"

"Yeah," Suoh added, smirking at his friend, "I hope you sweep her off her feet."

"Thanks, guys." Nokoru smiled happily before flipping his fan closed and starting for the door. "Well I'm off! Ja ne!"

Once Nokoru had left, Suoh and Akira had a big talk about Nokoru's 'date'.

"I can't believe he's actually on a date." Suoh said, holding his chin in his hand thoughtfully.

"Yes, I never would have imagined Chairman on a date with someone like Chouoogata-san." Akira said, starting to clean up the tray of food on Nokoru's desk. "Well, maybe I would. But I really hadn't expected it."

"I didn't know he liked her type."

"Neither did I. I didn't even know that Chairman had any preference."

"This is really something big, Akira."

"Yes, I agree, Takamura-san."

Silence…and then…

"Wanna spy on them?"

"Isn't that a bad thing?"

"Don't you wanna know?"

"Let's go."


	5. Yearning for the Moon

**Shadow of the Hazy Moon**

By Warm-Ice

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the OCs.

Summary: Why can't the Clamp School Detectives catch this thief? Not a trace, not a clue. All Nokoru could see were the eyes of the shadow of the hazy moon.

**Short Author's note: **

**I know I'm terrible for not updating. Sorry…This chapter is dedicated to Chloe River, Victoria Noble, psychoanalyst, and yellingatthemonkeys! Thank you very much for the support and sorry if I took so long. Hehehehe…Hope you enjoy the new chapter!**

Chapter 5: Yearning for the Moon

She looked down at herself in shame as her brother narrowed his eyes at her. She knew she was wrong…she knew he was right…it was her fault.

"I told you, didn't I?" he asked, his voice full of conspicuous irritation.

She kept her silence but closed her eyes, admitting her mistake.

"Answer me when I'm talking to you!" he said in a tone loud enough to frighten but not loud enough to scream.

"Yes, you told me." She answered quickly, not wanting to enrage him more than he already was.

"And yet you went out of your way to disobey my exact orders." Kakoru growled through gritted teeth, his hands clenching into fists and his cold brown eyes gleaming with malice.

It wasn't like that. Not at all. Those were the thoughts running through her head. But she kept her silence.

"I told you not to go near that Imonoyama boy, didn't I? Answer me."

"Opo."

"But you even went so far as to spend your whole lunch time eating with him and his little friends in his office, didn't you?"

"Opo…"

"You didn't even think of the consequences of your actions, did you?"

She kept her silence.

"I gave you simple instructions. Why is it so hard to follow? Is it because of that boy's face? Huh? Do you like that Nokoru Imonoyama and the way he looks? That rich kid? That little mama's boy who's probably never had to lift a finger in his whole life to get what he wants? That spoiled brat who was born with a diamond engraved silver spoon in his pretty little mouth! Is that why?"

"It's nothing like that at all!" she proclaimed, finally looking up at him.

"Well it definitely seems that way, Heaven!" He retorted.

"You've got it all wrong, Kuya!" Heaven argued, closing her eyes tightly and shaking her head furiously, willing the tears away before they would start. Having a fight with her brother…was the last thing she would ever want. "Nagsisinungaling siya sayo!"

Everything was silent.

"Do you hate me, Heaven…?"

Her eyes opened in surprise and she looked up at him with horror. How could he say such things? His eyes—which were always so cold—now held such sadness. He didn't look so angry anymore. Now he just looked…tired.

"Do you want me to vanish…?" he went on. Tears brimmed again in her eyes.

"Do you want him to take my place—"

"Ayoko!" she yelled frantically, the thought frightening in itself. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! He's nothing to me! I'm sorry!" she yelled, her hands covering her face for tears had already begun to flow. She sobbed quietly until she felt gentle arms wrap around her. Soon she found herself in the loving embrace of her brother who gently shushed her with his cheek resting on the top of her head.

"Shh…I know, Heaven…I know he's nothing to you…"

"I'm sorry! I'll never—"

"Shh….I know you won't…" slowly, his lips twitched upwards, knowing his grip on her was unbreakable. "I forgive you…" she sobbed a little while longer until he finally pulled away to look at her, smile wiped off of his lips. He reassured her with a soft smile and gently wiped away the tears that remained from her eyes. "It's getting late, you should go to bed." She nodded meekly and he kissed her forehead, watched her turn around and walk out of his study room.

"Kuya…" she said, turning her head slightly to look back at him from her place at the doorway.

"Hm?" he asked.

"I don't like Nokoru Imonoyama at all…"

His lips twitched upward into a devious smile, knowing he was triumphant.

With that, she turned and closed the door behind her, leaving Kakoru feeling very pleased. When Heaven says it, she means it. Doubtlessly, this Imonoyama boy really meant nothing to her. No one else would hold her heart.

He would be crazy if he let anyone take Heaven away from him. Especially someone like Nokoru. She was too precious. Too important.

Taking out his cellphone from his pocket, he pushed a number on speed dial. The person answered the phone. "What's happening there?" he asked. "Good. Everything is going according to plan then. You're doing well." He frowned at the question. "I'll consider it once the project is finished. In the meantime, do as I say." With that, he closed his phone and sighed.

Looking out of the arc windows, through the thin black lace curtains, Stefan saw the stars and had to wonder why the moon was hiding tonight.

* * *

Suoh was uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. This was so not his idea of fun. 

"Waiter!"

"Ah—y-yes, sir! Just a minute!" wearing a brunette wig, check. Wearing waiter's uniform, check. Serving kids he didn't know their drinks, check. Strobe lights blinding him, check. Overly loud techno music making his ears bleed, check. Nokoru with Chouoogata, check. Chouoogata too preoccupied in bragging about him to her friends to notice that Nokoru was yawning behind his fan, check.

This was definitely not his idea of fun.

He served another glass of root beer to the girl at the table and silently wished he could have been with Nagisa instead. He turned back to the bar where he knew Akira was working at. He seemed to be having too much fun twirling the drinks around in the air to actually do what he was supposed to do, which was spying on Nokoru.

He sighed. But then again, he couldn't really blame the boy. There wasn't really much in the date that held interest. Their date started out fine. They met at a certain place in the park; Nokoru kissed her hand, they walked together through the park and had small talk while she clung onto his arm. Normal.

Then, Chouoogata had the divine idea to go to an underground disco where she and her friends always liked to hang out. Nokoru smiled and accepted the offer like the true Imonoyama that he was.

When they arrived, Chouoogata found her group of friends, sat down beside them and introduced them to Nokoru. The girls were positively green with envy. It was so obvious, but Chouoogata still went on bragging about how she asked him out in such a romantic way and how he readily said yes.

Nokoru simply smiled and agreed to everything she said, not wanting to embarrass her in front of her friends. But the conversation was getting too long and too old. Soon Nokoru couldn't keep up his straight posture anymore and settled to leaning back in the plush chair and fanning himself while watching the people on the dance floor.

Suoh had to wonder, did Nokoru really like this Chouoogata girl? It didn't seem like there was much chemistry between them. Well, not like…

The image of Dannen-san popped into his head as he remembered when Nokoru opened the door for her. The way their eyes locked…it was like watching a movie in slow motion. They complimented the other quite well actually. Brown eyes to blue ones.

Initially, he thought it would be with Dannen-san who Nokoru was going on a date with. He was shocked to find that it was Chouoogata instead. To tell the truth, he was actually a bit excited at the thought of Dannen and Nokoru together. He didn't know why, they just looked strangely warm whenever they'd stand side by side.

Warm…yes, that would be the word. Warm…and soothing…and flowing…and calm…

He blinked, remembering who he was supposed to concentrate on in the first place and was slightly panicked when he noticed that Nokoru was no longer there! He looked around frantically and couldn't find him. Chouoogata was nowhere in sight either! Oh, snap! He lost them!

* * *

Nokoru stuffed his hands into his pocket and smiled at Chouoogata who smiled back at him. The streets were empty and quiet; the night was cold but peaceful. Nokoru took the time to appreciate the beauty of the darkness, only to lighten it up with his bubbly smirk. Chouoogata smiled as she watched him from the corner of her eyes. 

"Imonoyama-kun…"

"Hai?"

"You're truly such a gentleman to have offered to walk me all the way home."

Nokoru beamed at her, "Anything for a lady such as yourself, Chouoogata-san."

Chouoogata giggled, "Oh, Nokoru, you always say the right words. I'm glad I met you. I'm glad I came to this school."

"I'm glad you're glad." He joked lightly. She giggled again and turned back to their path. Nokoru continued to appreciate the night until a question popped up in his head. "Chouoogata-san."

"Yes?"

"I hope you don't mind me asking but, how exactly did you get accepted into Clamp School?"

"Oh—it's really nothing big. My daddy owns this huge company so he has enough money to spend on me. He thought I'd get good education in Clamp School so he got me in."

"Really? I heard you specialized in computer technology."

"Eh—oh, not that much, really. It's more like a hobby."

"Oh, I'm sure you're just being modest. A lot of your peers praise you for being so transcendent in the art of technology."

"Please, Imonoyama-kun, stop! You're making me blush!"

Stopping at a humble abode, Chouoogata looked at him with a blush. "Arigatou for going out with me, Imonoyama-kun. It really meant a lot to me."

"Of course, Chouoogata-san. I enjoyed it as well." He hated lying. But he hated it more if he hurt a woman's feelings. Besides, he enjoyed the first part. That would count, right?

"Well, Oyasumi nasai…" Nokoru's eyes widened a fraction for a moment as he registered in his mind that Chouoogata had just kissed his cheek. She pulled back, blushing and squirming in embarrassment. "Oh, how shameless of me…" she muttered.

Thinking how adorable she was, Nokoru smiled and said, "Thank you and goodnight, Chouoogata-san." She waved goodbye as he left, opening her door and walking into the darkness of her home. Walking up to her room, she took out her cellphone and dialing a few numbers, she smirked in such a way, one would wonder just how shy she really was.

* * *

Nokoru walked along the streets with a smile. He had made another girl happy and was given the liberty of a night out at the same time. In addition to that, the night was a wonderful sight along this road he was treading upon. Ah, Nokoru…ever the optimist. 

He looked around, wondering to himself what street this was and if he would consider coming around here for just a walk every once and a while. It was strangely comforting to take a stroll in this peaceful place and he figured it'd be a great place to unwind. He wondered what Suoh and Akira would think. Perhaps they'd like it there too. Maybe he'd be able to set them up with Nagisa and Utako some time. That would be splendid.

As he went along his merry little way, something white flashed at the corner of his eye and caught his attention. Faltering, he looked up at that which had snatched his eyes so abruptly, only to widen his them for the second time that evening.

There, sitting on her balcony, peering out into the moonless sky, ebony hair cascading down her pale lithe form, looking as ghostly as she was beautiful, was Heaven…Hikiageru…

And in her mahogany eyes, the same blank expression remained…but something lingered…something fragile…a tear…

His heart ached violently at the sight of her pain, and the urge to help her was so strong, he almost took a step forward. But something held him back. Something held him in place, told him not to move and stay there helplessly watching her suffer. Like a pigeon, one false move, one small sound…it'll fly away in fear…

She'll fly away...

And he would never be able to save her…

At that time, he made a promise…

To himself and to her…

That somehow, someway…

He would save her from whatever it was that pained her…

He would save her…

So that she will never have to look up into the night again…

_Yearning for the moon…_


End file.
